According to Vote Report PH and Kontra Daya’s data, ACM errors made up the majority of election violation reports during the 2025 midterm elections.

ACM errors include cases of paper jams, mismatch of actual votes versus VVPAT results, and over voting due to smudging and/or other markings on the ballots. The mismatch of votes and over votes consequently disenfranchised votes.

During the Comelec press conference earlier, Comelec chair George Garcia stated that ACM technical issues were due to “extreme heat”. He explained that the “humidity causes ink smudges or makes the paper slightly damp, which confuses the scanners. Even just a little dirt or moisture can lead to a rejection.”

Compared to previous elections, the election watchdog observed a spike in cases of over votes this year.“

While these factors might play a role in the issues with the ACMs, the fact remains that these errors and technical issues will continue because the Comelec fails to be transparent with how they’re testing the election paraphernalia,” said Dr. Danilo Arao, convenor of Kontra Daya.